Different
by MariCareBear
Summary: Cheaper by the Dozen fanfic. In the Baker family you have to do some extrodinary to stand out...Kim just made a mistake that will make her stand out, she's pregnant.
1. Pregnant

I am Kim Baker. Around here when people hear my last name they think of me and my siblings, none of us are individuals because despite the fact that there are twelve us none of us have done anything that it is so spectacular that makes us stand out to anyone outside of the family. There are only half of us living at home anymore, everyone else has gone off to college and/or started their one lives doing the things that, for the most part make them happy. I guess we still keep our parents on their toes, since both sets of twins still live at home and Mike is always getting into some sort of trouble but nothing to serious, he has his future professional hockey career to consider. So no one in our family has been in serious trouble, before.  
  
My entire life it has always been Kim and Jessica, Jessica and Kim. In this family it's hard enough to establish independence, it's even worse when you are a twin. Jessica and I have always lived in our own little world, I world I was content to stay in but people grow older and things change, even twins.   
  
I have a secret that I have been keeping from Jessica. We've never kept secrets from each other before, we've always trusted each other enough to share everything, but I've broken that. I couldn't tell her, I could tell her my secret because it's going to tear my family apart. No one has ever done anything this bad before, gotten themselves into this much trouble, in a nutshell a Baker has never gotten themselves into trouble they couldn't get out of. The Baker's pride themselves on never getting themselves into anything a member of the family can't get themselves out of, years of causing trouble taught us that.  
  
Pregnant. That is what the clinic doctor said.   
  
Pregnant. That is the one word that is going to hurt my family.  
  
Pregnant. That is the one trouble that I can't get myself out of.  
  
Pregnant. I Kimberly Baker am pregnant. 


	2. Not Sick

Chapter One  
  
"Kim! Kim get up!" I groan, exhaustion has completely taken over my body as my sister calls from the other side of my bedroom door. Sometimes I wonder if getting our own rooms was such a good idea, Jessica and I were a lot closer when we shared a room. Maybe this wouldn't have happened if we shared a room...no...I can't blame this pregnancy on the fact that Jessica and I don't share a room. This is my own mess and I have to figure out a way to clean it up.  
"I want to sleep in!" I call back pulling my comforter over my shoulders.  
"You have to get up," Jessica has pushed open the door now, "Mike has a hockey game and we are all going. Mom has breakfast ready so we can leave."  
My stomach turns over at the thought of food, this was the clue that had set off my thoughts that had lead to buying the pregnancy test in the first place. "I'm not hungry," I respond quickly, "I'll get something at the game, I ran the concession stand last month I have food credit, I'm gonna get in the shower. Come get me when everyone is ready to leave."  
Jessica shrugs in response, "_okay_. Are you okay?"  
A take a deep breath against the rising nausea and nod, "I'm just tired. A problem that would be corrected if we could sleep in around here, instead of a sporting event every weekend."  
Jessica's eyes go wide, she hadn't expected the onslaught, "okay then. I'm going to go down stairs, I'll come get you when we are ready to leave."  
  
Once my sister is safely out of my room I fumble toward the bathroom just in time to empty the contents of my stomach into the toilet bowl. Feeling another wave of stomach lurching nausea I quickly turn on the shower to cover my vomiting and when there is nothing left in my stomach I straighten on shaky legs and lean against the counter and stare in the mirror. My blonde hair is stringy, unwashed and in my face knowing that brushing it away would just reveal just how pale my face is. By the time I step into the shower it is steaming hot and I let the hot water burn my skin, I've been doing this a lot lately, as if the hot water will wash away all of my transgressions. Deep down I know that one doesn't have to do with the other but for the minutes that I am in the shower it helps, until I step out of the shower and real world is around me again.  
  
"Hey Kim," my mom calls from the other side of the bathroom door once I shut the water off.   
Great Jessica passed on the news about my mood, "yeah Mom?"  
"Jess said you weren't looking well," my mother calls back, "can I come in?"  
_Bingo_, my twin had unknowingly ratted me out, "yeah hang on Mom." Quickly I grab my huge terry cloth robe and tie it around my waist and open the door to my bedroom to find my mother sitting on the bed.  
  
She's immediately on her feet when I enter the room and standing right in front of me, and in a maternal move she has her wrist pressed to my forehead. I pull away, uncomfortable with the questions that she's going to start firing soon, "I'm** fine**."  
"You could be coming down with something, the flu is going around at the elementary school."  
"I'm not sick Mom, just tired." I respond putting a step in-between myself and my mother, knowing that there were enough lies between us to fill at least twice the space between us.  
"I'm going to make a doctor's appointment," my mother barrels on, "I don't want to risk it. We made it this far through flu season without anyone getting it."  
"I don't need to see a doctor." A sigh, I had intended the words to come out angry but fear keeps them quieted.  
"I don't want anymore arguments about it, now if you're feeling up to it get dressed and get downstairs. If you're not then get back into bed."  
"I'm gonna stay..."  
My statement is cut of with Mike appearing in the doorway holding the cordless phone, "Kim, Steve's on the phone."  
"Tell him I can't talk now, I'm getting ready to go out."  
My comments earns shocked expressions from both my brother and mother and I know they are warranted. Only a week ago I would have dropped everything to talk to Steve, even if it meant making the family late. "What? We're running late aren't we?"  
"Umm yeah," Mike uncovers the speaker part of the phone, "she's getting ready she'll have to talk to you later."  
"So what's going on with you?" My mother is back.  
  
I've been lying on my back staring at the wall since dinner time but at my mom's entrance I roll onto my side to face her, "what do you mean?"  
"Well are you and Steve fighting?" She asks.  
"No," I shake my head, "we aren't fighting." It's not a lie, Steve doesn't even know that anything is amiss.  
"Then how come you didn't want to talk to him?"  
I shrug, "I guess I'm just getting tired of him."  
"Uh-huh, you're sure that's it?"  
"Positive," I respond simply.  
"Okay, you obviously don't want to talk about it. But I just came up to say good-night and that you have a doctor's appointment on Monday morning before school."  
My heart drops to my heels, "I told you I didn't need to see a doctor."  
"Jess is going to, you guys need a check-up anyway. Get some sleep, everything will seem better in the morning."  
  
At 11:40 I finally give up on sleep, I know that I will never be able to get through an entire day before the doctor's visit and I'm also smart enough to know that I need to tell my parents about what I found out at the clinic before my doctor tells them for me. Slipping out of bed I make my way into my parents room where they are watching an old black and white movie, "I need to talk to you guys."


	3. Telling Parents

Chapter Two  
  
They stare at me shocked, they have never had a bomb dropped on them like this and it's taking them a couple minutes to recover. I want to cry, I want to curl up with them on the bed and bawl my eyes out like I used to when I was little, but logic tells me that crying isn't going to help the situation. "I'm sorry," I offer, knowing that it won't help anything but I have to say it to break the silence.  
My mom and dad look stare at each other and I know that after 30 years of marriage they are communicating without words, finally my mother breaks the silence, "you're 16-years-old."  
"I know." I whisper.  
"I thought you said you'd come to us if you were even considering having sex." I can hear how heartbroken my mother is by the tone of her voice.  
"I didn't know how," I respond, "it just sort of happened. I mean we didn't mean...well we did but we didn't..." I have to stop myself from babbling out of nervousness, if only my parents would say more to keep me from rambling.  
"Kim, we don't know what to say." My dad finally speaks.  
"This is so irresponsible," apparently Dad didn't know what to say but Mom had plenty to say. "I can't believe you, of all of our children, I thought you would have more sense than to get pregnant."  
"It was a mistake, an accident, we used protection but..." I let my sentence trail every word coming out of my mouth just sounds dumb, there's no defending what I did.  
"Have you told Steve yet?" Mom asks.  
I shake my head, "I haven't told anyone but you guys. Jessica doesn't even know." I sniff, so much for not crying, "I don't know what to do."  
My Mom's hard expression breaks then and she wraps her arms around me and holds me close as I cry. She smooths my hair and I pull away as I control my sobs, "you're going to have to tell Steve and his parents, right away."  
"I don't know how." I state with a shuddering breath.  
"We'll you're going to have to figure out how." My father snaps, taking me by surprise.  
My mother shoots a glare in my father's direction, "we'll be there too Kim, don't worry. Your father and I are going to be here for you."  
"Promise?" I ask, sounding more like a small child than I want to.  
My mother nods, "I promise. Now what you need to do is get some sleep."  
"Can I sleep here?" It is a request I haven't made in years.  
My mother nods anyway, pulling down the covers she says, "of course."  
"I'll sleep on the couch." My father states.  
My mother glares at my father, "you do that."  
Once my father has left the room I sigh, "I'm so sorry Mom."  
She gently kisses my forehead, "we're going to figure this out." With the reassurance that I at least have my mother behind me I fall into a sleep plagued with the cries of a small child hidden from my sight by a thick, choking smoke.  
  
"You gonna go to church today?" My mother's words wake me up the next morning.  
Groaning I roll over and open my eyes in little slits at her, "do you want me too?"  
She shakes her head, "you don't have too. You can stay home and rest today, but your Dad and I talked and we are going to talk to Steve's parents at church and have them come over after dinner. We'll give Mike money to take everyone out for ice cream and that will give us some private time with Steve and his parents." I turn over again and my mother takes this as what it is, acknowledgment that this is something I have to do but something I don't want to talk about right now, so she states, "I'll bring you up some soup when we get home from church."  
  
The phone ringing three and a half hours later wakes me, "hello?" I mumble into the phone.  
"Kim, what's going on?"  
Steve, I sigh, "what do you mean?"  
"Well you're not in church today, your Dad's all angry at me and then your Mom tells my parents that they need to come over after dinner so that we can all talk. So what's going on?"  
Knowing that Steve should now before his parents I take a deep breath and say, "I'm pregnant."  
"You mean you think you're pregnant." Steve responds.  
I bite my lip, hard, "no, I'm pregnant."  
I don't know what to expect from Steve's reaction but the dial tone I get in response isn't what I had been expecting.  
  
When Steve and his parents Yelena, Lena, and Rafael Santiago finally get to the house my suspicious siblings are gone and it's obvious Steve had filled his family in on my why they are here.  
Rafael's voice holds a strong Spanish accent despite the fact that he had lived in America for nearly 28 years, "our son has filled us in on why we are here. And we have come to a conclusion on what is to be done, it is the only right thing."  
I take a deep breath almost afraid of what is coming, and glancing at Steve I know he already knows by the way he avoids my eyes contact. My mother breaks in before Rafael can go any further, "we thought we could discuss it together."  
Rafael holds up his hand, "no, no discussion. There is only one thing to be done, they get married."  
"Married?" The words are barely out of my mouth before the world fades out.


	4. Conclusions & a Question

Chapter Three  
  
"Come on Kim," Steve helps me to my feet as both sets of parents watch on.  
  
"Why don't you two go away for a little while so we can discuss with the Bakers what it is we should do." Lena suggests.  
  
"I don't think so," my mother speaks, "this is their mistake it is their decision as to what is to be done."  
  
"They are only babies." Lena states.  
  
Rafael nods in agreement, "they do not know enough about this world to choose on their own. Marriage is the best option."  
  
"I'm not getting married." I declare firmly before fleeing the room and I don't stop until I am outside sitting on the porch swing, but I'm not alone for long. Within a couple of minutes Steve is sitting beside me but he doesn't say anything for a long time.  
  
"I'm sorry about hanging up on you today." Steve apologizes, and I know it's more to break the silence then anything.  
  
I shrug, "I probably would have hung up on me too."  
  
"I just didn't expect it, we were always safe..." Steve sighs, "either way it doesn't matter. Your mom's right though, this is our mistake and we should make the responsible choice."  
  
I nod, "but I don't want to get married."  
  
Steve nods as well, "I don't want to get married either. We're still in school, you're only 16 and still have high school, I have college next year...You could..."  
  
"I'm not getting an abortion." I state horrified that he would even insinuate it.  
  
"Of course not," I sigh, now he's offended that I thought that, that was what he was suggesting. "I was thinking maybe you could give the baby up for adoption."  
  
I look at my hands, the thought had never actually occurred to me, I had never thought about not actually raising the baby. "I don't know if I could do that."  
  
"Then what do you want to do Kim?" I can tell that Steve is getting frustrated out of sheer fear.  
  
The tears form in my eyes again and I try to force them from falling but as I speak a few tears slip down my cheek and off my chin, "I don't know, Steve, I just don't know."  
  
Steve takes a deep breath, "you don't want to get married. We're both agreed that you can't get an abortion. And you don't think that you can give the baby up for adoption. Then fine, you have the baby and we'll raise it, unmarried but together."  
  
"You're parents won't like that." I state.  
  
"Well they are just going to have to get used to it." Steve responds firmly. "This is our lives, your parents understand that so we have to make mine do the same. Now come on, let's go tell them what we've decided before they plan out our lives."   
  
As Steve takes my hand a calm settles over me and I know that I can face the things that are coming, even the wrath of his parents. We walk back into the living room and my mother and his parents are arguing but Steve clears his throat and in a calmer voice than I could muster he states, "Kim and I have decided what we want to do."  
  
My parents face us silently while Steve's father states, "I think we know what's better for you Esteban. So why don't you and Kim sit quietly while we tell you what you are going to do."  
  
Steve shakes his head, "no. Kim and I have decided," he repeats. "We aren't getting married. Kim is going to have the baby and we are going to raise it, but neither one of us are ready to be married."  
  
"That," Rafael nearly explodes, "is something you should have thought about before you took on the actions that come with marriage."  
  
Lena nods, "you should never have been participating in pre-marital sex if you weren't prepared for marriage. You will get married in our church, I'm sure the Father would marry you this month."  
  
"No." My father speaks for the first time. "They are not getting married, they have decided what they want to do and we will respect their decisions. We can iron out details later but I believe my daughter has had enough excitement today, and she needs her rest. Now, if you would please excuse us then we will see you another day." And with his words Dad walks towards me, wraps a warm arm around my shoulders and quickly ushers me out of the living room with my mother staying after to see Steve and his family out.  
  
"I'm sorry Daddy," I sob into his chest.  
  
He smooths my hair before speaking, "you made a mistake," he sighs. "We all do."  
  
"I thought you were going to hate me."  
  
He looks down at me once I have uttered words and he takes my face into his hands, "Kimberly Renee Baker, you are my daughter and I can never hate you and no matter what mistakes you make I will always, always love you and support you."  
  
"I'm so sorry," I sob again and Dad wraps his arms tightly around me and we remain like that for a couple minutes until he breaks the hug.  
  
"Now, I was serious about what I said, you need to get some rest. You don't need to go to school tomorrow if you don't want to, but you need to get the extra sleep."  
  
"I don't want to go to school tomorrow," I sigh.  
  
"I'll let your mother know, now get some sleep and I will see you in the morning."  
  
Dad and I go in separate directions then, I head to my room exhaustion weighing my body down but as I settle under my blankets I can't sleep. Within minutes I can hear the front door open and close twice, the first time symbolizing the Santiago's exit and the second my siblings return. I can hear the chaos of the house and the people in it getting ready for a day of school and work and with all of the noises downstairs and in the rooms around me I begin to drift asleep.  
  
Jessica enters the room so quietly that my sleepiness doesn't even detect her until she is standing right over me, "what?" I ask. "You can borrow whatever you want, just let me sleep."  
  
"I'm not here to borrow anything."  
  
I open my eyes and stare at my twin, "what then?"  
  
"I know something's going on." Jessica states.  
  
"Jess, can we talk about this later?" I request softly.  
  
"No," Jessica shakes her head. "You're pregnant, aren't you?" 


End file.
